Speech enabling mechanisms have been developed that allow a user of a computer system to verbally communicate with software applications executing on the system. Examples of speech recognition products that convert spoken utterances into text strings that can be utilized by the applications include the ViaVoice™ product from IBM®, Armonk, N.Y., and NaturallySpeaking Professional from Dragon Systems, Newton, Mass.
In one conventional approach, the user speaks (makes audible utterance of) a specific command from a limited menu of phrases recognized by a speech-enabled software application. The user must speak the command or phrase in exactly the proper manner without departing from the predefined menu. In another conventional approach, a computer processes a large sample of phrases (e.g., 10,000) using a statistical approach to determine typical phrases that a user could use to send commands to a speech-enabled application. In a third conventional approach, a computer uses a grammar to specify the class of utterances by the user that are acceptable.